I Stayed at 40 All-Inclusive Resorts in 2 Years - My 15 Biggest Tips & Secrets
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- Опубликовано: 10 окт 2024
- #allinclusive #resorts #hotels
After staying at 40 of the best all-inclusive resorts in less than two years, I am ready to reveal my 15 biggest insider tips, secrets, and hacks that will allow you to gain a lifelong knowledge of all-inclusive hotels in just 13 minutes.
In this video, I expose the 15 most important things you need to know before you go to an all-inclusive resorts.
Using Historical weather data to predict the best time to choose your vacation
Never trust TripAdvisor
Airport & Hotel Transportation
Best Times to Check-In
How To Get Early Access to All-Inclusive Resorts
Confirming This Critical Information EveryTime
Do This with Receipts - CRITICAL!
Restaurant Reservations & Strategy (mindblowing)
Warning: Weather Forcasts
Super Secret Cash
Upgrades!
Don't Be Shy - Do This
Honey 🍯
Bring This No Matter What
⛔️Remove This For Safety
Detective Work
EXCLUSIVE: YOU WILL NOT FIND THESE TRAVEL TIPS, HACKS, or SECRETS ANYWHERE ELSE - NOBODY has stayed at more all-inclusive hotels than me in the last two years!
In less than two years, I have completely documented stays in all of these areas at these properties and more! All of these hotel stays - WELL over 160 nights total - 1/4 of my recent life: was dedicated to finding the best all-inclusive hotels and revealing the secret exclusive insider information I learned along the way.
CABO
Sandos Finisterra
Riu Palace Baja California
Breathless Cabo
Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos
PUERTO VALLARTA
Sheraton Buganvillas
Westin Puerto Vallarta
Marriott Puerto Vallarta
W Punta de Mita
PLAYA DEL CARMEN
Riu Palace Mexico
Sandos Playacar
Hilton Playa del Carmen
Wyndham Alltra
Paradisus La Perla
Ocean Riviera Paradise
CANCUN
Majestic Elegance Costa Mujeres
Royalton Chic Cancun
Hard Rock Cancun
Westin Lagunamar
PUNTA CANA
TRS Turquesa
Secrets Royal Beach
Hard Rock Punta Cana
Riu Republica
Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar
Royalton Punta Cana
Majestic Mirage
Majestic Elegance
Royalton Bavaro
Breathless Punta Cana
Roytalton Chic Punta Cana
Dreams Punta Cana / Jewel Punta Cana
Excellence Punta Cana
Margaritaville
Barcelo Bavaro Palace
Riu Palace Punta Cana
Lopesan Costa Bavaro
Live Aqua Punta Cana
Finest Punta Cana
Excellence El Carmen
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Instagram - @james.coolist
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☀️ Historical Weather Data Websites ☀️
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#allinclusiveresorts #resort #hotel
#traveladvice #travelhacks #traveltips
Thank you for mentioning BEING NICE to workers even when you're upset. My husband always says "I know this isn't your fault so I'm not upset with you but...", goes into detail about concerns, and then asks who he can speak with to "make things right." A lot of times saying things like "We really enjoyed [blank] and we want to feel comfortable as returning guests" helps.
I would like it if you did a video on the resorts where you feel like going into the premium area is worth it versus the ones that it’s not so much. Always interested to hear your opinion and why
Did he do it?
Thats a great idea!! I’ve been upsold on Premium access and haven’t been impressed.
Yes this!!!
The “staging hotel” is an awesome tip!
40 in 2 years? Wow dream life! GJ man
I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people turn away from restaurants for not being dressed properly. Research all avenues! I’m lucky that I never had the issues you mentioned about hotels giving the “shakedown”. Make sure to tell people to have a bag with essentials packed if you get there before check in. They will take your luggage and don’t forget sunscreen 😮those prices at shops 😬 Thanks for the vids😊
Grear advice James. I used to be a concierge. I booked restaurant reservations at the Majestic Mirage a month in advance for my wife and I. The Butler said we were his smartest guests of all time. Haha. We use your book late and show up early trick. It's amusing when the hosts get confused. I also like your shoulder night hotel idea. That's what airport hotels are for. Most hotels will let you check in early if the room is ready. Hotels don't want a huge line at 3 PM check in time.
What do you say to them as to why you’re early to get served? Thanks
@@luvablesweetnsassy we just show up about an hour early for our reservation and check in with the host. Some places will seat you early, others will make you wait. Just play the dumb tourist. In Punta Cana, they treated us like royalty. Service was excellent.
Great video James. It's funny. I was thinking about you last night and a sort of video along these lines but a little different. When you started out saying "I have stayed in 40 All Inclusives over the last 2 years" I thought, "Here he goes. This is the video I thought he might make". Well not quite. What I was thinking about is that you have stayed in all these resorts and maybe you can make a video saying " if I were going to go to an AI just for a week like anyone else w/o making a video for the channel these would be ones I would like to go to again and why. " Yeah I know it's subjective and everyone is different and so on. I would still like to see you do something like that. I definitely agree that it's a constant learning process and it's really a lot of work and planning to get these vacations right. Not only that but our tastes change as we get older. Thanks.
Upgraded to the VIP adults only at Planet Hollywood! Wow it was amazing! Would never go there without having the upgrade! Amazing place!! Super fun!
I'll say, in my travels with all inclusive's, grease money is a must. Once at Sandal's Montego Bay we had a pretty private room with a private terrace, and all we wanted to do was relax and be pretty independent for our time there. It was a chore getting our room stocked with beer and such. I slipped one of our waiters a $20 and we had a fully stocked bar with a case of Red Stripe and several bottles of champagne in our room every day. Like, I had more beer than I knew what do to with. LOL Same went for Excellence Punta Cana. That little bar in the excellence club side next to the infinity pool, $20 and I didn't have to wait or even ask for a drink the rest of our stay, dude was johnny on the spot bringing drinks to our little deck on the upper portion of that pool every 20-30 minutes. $20-40 to some of these people is HUGE.
Agree 100% we are big tippers (well affordable tippers lol) but where amazed how service changed once we dropped extra tips. The staff told us some guests never tipped.
I stayed at Royalton and they acted like our $5 tip every time we got 2 drinks wasn't enough. they also refused to give change so we had to tip 1000 pesos which was $18 dollars every time or not tip at all.. because we had run out of dollars over the excessive tipping that was very Cleary expected there.
and then I've stayed at secrets Bahamas and they explicitly told us not to tip at all.
my greatest take away from this is "be nice" thank you so much for this and for all your content.
To think you didn’t enjoy all inclusives, then seeing you warming up to them and now to 40! Great tips James! All of them are on point. Your editing is always improving as you evolve in this space. Where will the next 40 take you?
I don’t know if you respond to comments, but a few things:
1) You are far and away my go-to for resort reviews, and it’s not even close… I watch your channel even when I’m not planning a trip, but you just seem like an enjoyable human… Keep it up brother!
2) Where were you at the 11:20 mark?
3) My girl and I recently stayed at Lopesan Costa Bávaro, based on your review (almost went to one of the Excellence’s or Live Aqua, but chose Lopesan) and WOW!!! It was BY FAR the most beautiful resort (aesthetically) I’ve ever stayed at… Absolutely stunning layout and great resort… The fact that you’ve rated some higher, makes me really curious as to how great those are…
4) Just reiterating #1! Keep up the amazing work
My biggest tip is that the wine isn't usually very good at tropical destinations but you can bring your own bottle from home or from the duty free to the restaurant. If you do buy a bottle, ask what you can get with it, being a visit to the spa or a beach bed.
Wrong about bringing wine into foreign countries.
Depending on the resort you might need to verify what one member of the staff told you. The language barrier is HUGE at some of these resorts and through not being able to communicate well the staff will tell you things that they don't realize is wrong. Example: when we checked in we were told to make reservations for restaurants on the morning that we wanted to go. No... do it as soon as possible after checking in since you can reserve DAYS in advance, which everyone else had done and we got screwed out of going to the nicer restaurants.
Great ideas! I especially liked staging a cheap motel for a night. Confirm room and payment. Research, research, research! The reason I watch is to get your take on everything, how you handle problems. Watching a couple of those worse case scenarios you show make a believer out of me! Your "nice" outfit, the black open neck with a bit of print showing? Whoa, man! What shoes did you wear with that?
Great point about being nice. Great book to read- HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE !!
Great tips... Thanks for taking the time to make all these reviews
That is why I follow you and base on your reviews, before I book any resort! I would never try the Riu, if I haven't see your videos. it is all about the value, what you get... Thank you!
So informative. So thorough. Thanks, James.
Thanks, we like your positive attitude.
Great tips! I would love to see a video on your top 5 or 10 all inclusives!
Thank you for your time and posting. Great information. I used to work at The Sheraton Mirage Resort in Northern Queensland, Australia. Almost always, the customer's travel agent would "forget" to tell them they could not swim in the ocean along One Mile Beach half the year because of the Box Jellyfish. And the water was warmer than a bath. I worked at the Ritz Carlton on Maui, HI, and nobody ever told the guests how stinking windy it was. And a side note. When you ask for something, ALWAYS be polite about it, "May I please have...", Is it possible to please get...", "Thank you very much...". I've gotten more free stuff and been upgraded during my travels because I'm polite. Which in the past 40 years, has become a rarity. :( Even when I don't get what I want, I always say, " Thank you anyway", which would create something positive. Thank you again. Subscribed. :)
Very valuable, I watch all your videos and this one is excellent! Thank you!
Great tips! Thank you for sharing!
Great tips James!
It's interesting that with cruises typically you are highly recommended to set up specialty dining reservations (pretty much required) to get a table as they sell out months in advance.
Looking forward to your next review!
Uploaded 52 seconds ago... damn i'm late! :o
Love what you said about quality of the reviewer and I aim to leave (low tech) video reviews from the perspective of a picky traveler…which I am. Love that you said that. TripAdvisor is also filled with reviews from people with less than 10 reviews. It’s suspect. I inky even read reviews from people who have been leaving them for years and have well over 100 reviews.
Dope info bro. Found your channel before we hit Riu Republica last week. Your info was spot on! Definitely legit. Trip advisor is a gamble. You really do have to find somebody on here you kina resonate with and roll with that. Dope channel man!
appreciate that 🤝 And absolutely, just find a writer, blogger, vlogger, website that aligns with your goals and it will all good. Tripadvisor, in my opinion, is significantly malproductive.
Great tips... very direct and with a lot of substance.
Nice job with video…informative stuff and I agree with all of it!
Your reviews are the BEST!
In my experience of visiting all inclusive in the last several years you need to know your room number to make reservations which you don’t get till you check in when you arrive. I’ve never seen or knew resorts to allow to make reservations ahead of time many people wish that was the case due to the overbooking issues with restaurants especially in Mexico. We were at Barcelo Maya Palace last summer and could only make them when we got there. We are trying our first Bahia Principe going to Akumal in 26 days, first resort where we can make our reservations ahead of time 10 days before departure. Also you could choose your villa on the app if you stay in standard we are doing AO section so that you can’t pick ahead of time.
Great wisdom shared as always, Thanks James.
Amazing info thanks for making this awesome video ❤
One thing I’ve noticed with upscale service packages, is they can even vary in value at the same resort from week to week depending on the staffing and supply situation. We’ve had Diamond Club for two week stays, where one week it did not seem to be worth it at all, and then the second week it was amazing.
Awesome video. Keep this good content coming. Safe travels!
I'd also add, pack an extra or 2 extra changes of clothes in case your flights get delayed or cancelled. Or you sweat through one of them or spill something on your clothes while in the airport or plane.
This! Especially if traveling with kids! My daughter caught a bug on a cruise ship and was sick all the way home on the flight. Thank god I had a second set of clothes for her in our carry-on bag. Nightmare, to say the least.
Really good information. We have done about 30 trips and some really good thoughts
The bracelet tip is very good.
“Don’t be afraid to ask.”
I find this is an everything in life tip as far as I’m concerned.
Brilliant video! Some great tips , sometimes such smaller details/nuances make a huge impact to your trip!
Agree generally with @coolist suggestion of a staging hotel the night before if you do fly into your destination in the evening, but would encourage that if booking a package deal of airfare and resort, then it is sometimes cost effective to go the evening before, rather than waiting on the next mornings flight, as the next mornings flight portion of the package could be that much more expensive than flying in the evening before, that you could arrive the evening before (and be up and ready already at the resort the next morning instead flying that morning/day) at the same price point as flying out the next morning.
I love the little emoji markers you used 😊
Great video! For 2023, it’s hard to nail down specific predictions for the housing market is because it’s not yet clear how quickly or how much the Federal Reserve can bring down inflation and borrowing costs without tanking buyer demand for everything from homes to cars.
True, the idea of a portfolio-coach used to sound generic, but a new study by investopedia actually found that demand for portfolio-coaches sky-rocketed by over 41.8% since the pandemic and based on firsthand encounters, I can say for certain their skillsets are topnotch, I've raised over $900k from an initially stagnant reserve of $250K all within 14months.
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Interesting! Been looking to switch to an advisor for a while now. Any help pointing me to who your advisor is?
I'm not one to give investment advice, because I believe everybody's situation is unique. However, I work with Julia ann finnicum, and all I can say is that she's really good at what she does.
thanks for sharing this, I googled the advisor you mentioned and after going through her resume, I can tell she's a pro. I wrote her and I'm waiting on her reply
👍🏻 thanks for the advice
Xcaret Arte next? ;) Get a room in the Artistas building you'll love the view!
We plug your videos all of the time!! I wish RUclips creators would collaborate more than compete!! Another great one! Thank you!
I absolutely love your videos!! You are the best!! I stayed at J.W. Marriott last Summer after viewing your stay. Aside from the "sad" pool area that was under construction, it was amazing!! Amazing service as well :) Unfortunately I'm not able to stay there on my next visit in December, but I will be staying at the Grand Park Royal Cancun. I am a solo traveler, so I really try to research every thing I possible can to prevent any problems. I know you have been everywhere, so could you PLEASE give me some tips or reviews on this place if you are able to. Thanks in advance!! Stephanie / Longview, Texas
Do you only book through the hotel directly or do you use a travel agent or website?
First time , watching you . I love your tips. Simple sound advice ,,,
I agree with number 4. However , I usually find, that when All Inclusive hotels are booked, airfare & hotel are included . Sometimes , there are not so many great flight offerings
Love # 13
I tend to trust you for reviews, especially Las Vegas but I hope that I can get to Punta Cana soon! I agreed very much with your opinion on the Luxor for example, I liked it so much I’ll actually be there next week, fantastic value.
Good tips, especially to bring cash in local currency. In Mexico I always bring a fair amount of pesos and pay and negotiate exclusively in pesos. It's not hard, everybody has a calculator on their phone. I don't bring USD because I don't want to get dinged twice, first on the exchange rate and then on paying the 'gringo' price in US dollars.
Mexico loves US dollars
Great vid. I enjoy travel love this vid
Love your videos!! You gotta do Jamaica!
Oh man we don't get to our all inclusive until 7 I wish I would of thought about that and saved some money, great tip!
your videos are always amazing
I found out the hard way to book the lodging at the resort directly.
Using a travel service like Expedia has downsides.
Same thing for the flight. Book it directly with the airline.
Thank you very much for this
great video dude i learned a lot. shopping for places to take my wife now and i'll use your tips.
I thought id gone on holiday alot in 2 years and that is 6.
Thats a ton of milage you've racked up.
Great advice!
Thanks for this! Never thought to check the weather history and as a female traveler, I thank you for the tip to hide my bracelet!
I hit ya channel up because you’re not a chatgpt voice animation I appreciate what u do
Another great video with good tips, I also watched your video about the culture of tipping and although I have been to the Caribbean a few times mainly Dominican Republic and Mexico, I will of course also this year, but I find such videos very sensible and ordering information especially for Europeans where as you know, tipping is not a common practice.
Awesome tips ❤
Thanks for all your input awesome channel
My tip is for the guys. Don't forget to bring pants! Bring a pair or black/blue dress/golf pants and buy a pair of white breathable cotton/linen pants. Also no thick polos, you will sweat sooo much.
Excellent information
Thanks Coolist. You are the man! We’ve enjoyed all your vlogs. I only have one question. All your videos looks flawless. What kind of camera do you use?
Great tips 👍
Great tips, James!
Solid info all around
Love your videos - you have a lot of great suggestions - Lopesan Unique is worth it!
Great advice on pre-booking reservations. We got to the Weston Playa Conchal in Costa Rica and there were no dinner seats available. (Should have tried your tip on just showing up a bit after they open)
Walking 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen, my wife was approached multiple times....hey pretty lady I was your waiter at such and such.....finally, a guy did that and she said "Yeah...I remember you. You did a terrible job. I didn't even leave you a tip.". He was speechless.
great video...
Good advice about making reservations late, but really, making reservations on vacation ruins the flow somewhat IMO. Finding out if they have good room service 24/7 is imorotant to me as hotel snob hahah
What is your opinion on new resorts? Currently looking at secrets tides in Punta Cana. Thanks!
If someone says they were your waiter outside of the resort, tell them that the service sucked
I just look at them and loudly say “wow you had a sex change overnight. That is impressive”. 😂
I have watched many of your reviews on various properties. Dont recall seeing any reviews on Panama. Have you been? Thanks for your pointers. Very good recommendations.
can you do a Video on the BEST All- Inclusive you have stayed in.
great information bro
I love your advice over a staging hotel. I’ve done it, makes a lot of sense. Saves you $100’s of dollars. No reason to pay for an all inclusive, or high dollar hotel if you don’t get there until after 9-10pm
yeah, Moon Palace is the king of hidden charges !!!
Which all inclusive do you recommend for Egypt?
Ahaha pro tipper ahah I’ve tip a lot last January in Cayo Largo Cuba and none of others Canadians or European were tipping 😅
useful video!
Bro you had awesome 2 years
hey bro you need to check out Cartagena in Columbia!!!! Jamaica and Bahamas plz
When are you going to put up your Lopesan review, Im going to stay at excellence Sunday and i'm thinking about staying another week and I been looking at Lopesan. your review would help me decide. thanks
Have you been to Dubai ? If so can you do a video on the hotels there. Your videos help me out when I went to RIU republica a few months ago.
Legit laughed at the jerk center shot when talking about properties being in the wrong.
lol they’ll accuse you of not paying and it’s like wtf do you think I’m doing here? It’s never happened to me. I use a travel agent but I could imagine that’s extremely frustrating
Bring cash! reminder to myself lol.
Thank you
I really enjoy your content. I am planning a quick getaway to Punta Cana. I want to stay in the Bavaro area. Please recommend hotels that have above average dining. Thank you.
Hi James. Have been following your videos from D.R. We are beach people and have been to the Arena Gorda area many times because of the walks on the long beach and swimming in the ocean. I would like to know which resort in this area do you recommend for this which would compare to EPC. Should mention that we only go to resorts where there are NO kids and prefer couples. Oh, also a beach that have a lot of papalas for shade. Thanks for your informative videos
I might have missed it, but why did you say to book a la carte as late as you can? I book early like at opening because booking late tends to run into the entertainment time or I'm done eating and the trolleys don't show up or whatever. Or if the food is gross there's time to go to the buffet or snack bar or room service. Just curious about your opinions in case I've been doing it all wrong all these years haha.
God bless you sir
Idk if you are working out and slimming down or you are just pushing yourself to the max 💯 but I've also seen your responses that you are basically needing a vacation from "Vaca". If that's true take your due diligence because you have provided epic footage and deserve it!